Oooh... This one is utterly evil. I once saw a show on TV that explains the science of why some foods taste so good together. But I really don't need science to know that the balance of the bitter and sweet of the chocolate, the tartness of the raspberries, and the spiciness of the ginger are perfect complements to each other.
Apart from looking really pretty, the way the flavours layer on your tongue and mouth is also amazing. As you bite down, the raspberries hit your tongue with the tartness, then the bittersweet of the chocolate explodes all over the place, finally finishing off with the spicy crunch of the gingered crust.
To die for...
- About 40 gingersnaps (to yield 1 1/2 cups finely ground)
- 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 3 ½ cups fresh raspberries
- 8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped if not using chips or buttons
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
- Raspberry jam (optional)
- Small pinch salt
Preheat the oven to 160C and grease the sides and bottom of a 9 1/2-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.
In a food processor, grind the gingersnaps until they're the texture of sand. Transfer to a bowl, add the melted butter, and work it in by squishing the mixture together with your hands. Press into the sides and bottom of the greased tart pan.
A little trick to get the crust evenly flat in the pan is to use a glass cup. Press the glass cup down gently, smoothing out the bottom of the crust as you squish the excess to the sides of the tin. Then press the cup against the sides for a perfectly flat side. Voila!
Refrigerate the crust for 20 minutes until firm, then bake the tart crust on the baking sheet until fragrant and light golden brown, about 15 minutes Make sure you check and rotate if needed to make the sure the crust doesn't get too dark. Set on a rack to cool
Meanwhile, whizz 1 cup of the berries through a food processor. Strain the pulp through a strainer to get rid of the seeds and bits. You'll have about 1/2 cup puree; set it aside and discard the contents of the strainer.
Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the cream just until boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and whisk to blend. Stir in the raspberry puree and the salt.
Spread a thin layer of raspberry preserves on the bottom of the cooled tart shell, then pour in the chocolate mixture (known as a ganache).
Refrigerate until the ganache is fairly firm, about 1 hour. Arrange the remaining raspberries on top of the ganache; they should completely cover the surface. Chill until the ganache is completely firm, about 30 minutes, and serve.
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